Field Fisher Waterhouse hosts Annual Spring Brain Injury Social Work Group Conference

19 Feb 2010

Law firm, Fieldfisher has hosted the Annual
National Spring Conference of the Brain Injury Social Work Group
(BISWG). The conference, entitled ‘Snakes and Ladders: The
Challenges of Commissioning for Brain Injury Services’, was held at
the Royal Society of Medicine in Wimpole Street on 25th April.

The conference centred on commissioning, a process that is about
enhancing quality of life for patients, service users and their
carers but which leaves many of the professionals involved very
frustrated. The event covered current and future
commissioning processes across health and social care, aspects of
the litigation process and service user choice as well as looking
at strategic development plans in ABI services. The speakers
outlined the likely future impact of new initiatives including
individual budgets, joint commissioning, the London Specialist
Neurorehabilitation Service; and made references in particular to
the National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions and the
Commissioning Framework for Health and Wellbeing.

Over 160 delegates attended the conference from organisations
such as The Children's Trust, Maudsley Hospital, London Borough of
Tower Hamlets, Care UK, Headway, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust and
Liverpool Social Services. Professionals offering a range of
services were also in attendance including those from legal and
financial services and independent agencies.

Luke Clements solicitor and Reader in Law perceptively
summarised the morning session using his extensive knowledge of NHS
and Community Care law and took many interesting questions for the
panel whilst Headway's Chief Executive, Peter McCabe, chaired with
equal discipline the afternoon session at which further very
pertinent questions were raised. Fieldfisher
Personal injury partner Jill Greenfield gave a presentation entitled
“Commissioning through Litigation: Saving the Public Purse” which
was highly topical and stimulated considerable legal and ethical
debate about various aspects of social care funding.

A range of other speakers presented at the conference, including
Professor Tom McMillan, who spoke on the acquired brain injury
strategy in Greater Glasgow, and Professor Lynne Turner-Stokes DM
FRCP, who spoke on healthcare resource groups and banded tariffs
for rehabilitation.

Patti Simonson, the Chair of BISWG said: “The conference was a
great success and I would like to thank all those involved
including Fieldfisher who have been unstinting in their
work for this event. Commissioning is a difficult issue and
many professionals in this area can be frustrated by the seemingly
endless pieces of paper and forms involved. The inspiring
speakers who gave us the benefit of their knowledge and experience
left the audience with a renewed confidence that they could achieve
the aim of placing the people that matter at the centre of
commissioning.”